The people questioned the link between the governance standard of Tata Sons and two key trusts- Sir Dorabji Tata Trust and Sir Ratan Tata Trust. In 2022, Ratan Tata was chairman of Tata Trusts and he created a distinct mechanism that classified the ownership and operations of the Tata Sons.

Ratan Tata has died at a Mumbai hospital at age 86. Tata is the former chairman of India’s oldest conglomerate Tata Sons.

The Tata Group’s articles of association contain provisions designed to avoid potential conflicts of interest. With Noel Tata taking charge as chairman of Tata Trusts, speculation is growing over whether his new role might require him to relinquish some of his existing board positions,

Sources suggest there is no hurry for Noel Tata, but changes are likely to start with the Trusts themselves, which hold 66 percent in the holding company, Tata Sons, which then holds stakes in Tata operating companies.

Noel Tata, appointed as the chairman of Tata Trusts last week, is also the chairman of other Tata Group companies including Trent, Tata Investment Corp and Tata International and the Vice Chairman of Tata Steel.

Noel Tata is set to join the board of Tata Sons, becoming the only member of the founding family to serve on both Tata Sons and Tata Trusts boards. Anticipation for this move arose after his appointments as trustee of Sir Ratan Tata Trust and Sir Dorabji Tata Trust.